Houstonians celebrate Harris’ historic win as Vice President-elect of the U.S.
Written by admin on December 8, 2020
By: LaTresha Carter
After years and years of fighting the good fight, women of color all over the nation are celebrating the victorious outcome of the 2020 Presidential and Vice President election.
Sen. Kamala Harris, a woman of Black and Asian heritage made history on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020 when she and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. were elected vice president and president of the United States. Not only was she the first woman ever elected for the VP position, but also the first Black woman as well.
“As a Black woman, I am thrilled to see Kamala Harris make history the way she has,” elementary teacher and HBCU graduate Brie Edmond-Moore said.
Harris, a Howard University graduate, and UC Hastings educated attorney spent time as a district attorney for the city and county of San Francisco before going on to be elected attorney general for the state of California in 2003. In 2017, Harris was sworn in as a U.S. Senator for California where she would meet and work with then Sen. Biden.
These historic election results come at a time when the nation has seen more division over the last four years. With police brutality cases, protests and surviving while in the middle of a pandemic, first time voter and Texas Southern University freshman Jaylah James sees this as a victory for Black woman and HBCU students.
“It makes me feel like anything is possible; people don’t believe women should be in those high positions, but she has broken down all of those walls and proven so many people wrong,” James said.
Meanwhile, a spotlight has been put on Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) during this election because Harris received her first post graduate degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and pledged to Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the first historically African American female Greek lettered sorority.
James believes that the vice president-elect will help boost enrollment at HBCU institutions.
“I do believe so, if she uses her role to encourage people to attend HBCUs,” James said.
With this new role that Harris is taking on, it is a signal that America is ready and willing to make a change. According to TSU political science Professor Dr. Michael Adams, he thinks the country is ready for change.
“I think this election is historic, but it didn’t just start here; it started with Shirley Chisolm or we could go back and say Fannie Lou Hamer. I’ve always been around strong women and we know that women have been the backbone of the Democratic party, but it’s always good to see change,” Adams said.
Harris will be sworn into office on Jan. 19, 2021 on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol steps right before Biden takes his oath to become the next President of the U.S.
